Features

Turn your mind to Bett

As the new academic year begins, it is time to start thinking about the new and exciting technology that will help enhance teaching and learning. Bett 2019, taking place 23-26 January at London’s Excel, will showcase the latest tech products on the market

At every level of education, the themes for Bett 2019 are based on real needs of the education community; from the tech nervous newbie through to the cool geeky early adopter. We’re creating a learning focused agenda to sit at the heart of the show and to provide practical and inspiration in equal measure that helps over the year ahead.

Leaders in education consistently look to Bett to help them with strategy, so we’re pulling together outstanding examples of people, and organisations, who are doing amazing things in, and for, the sector. Also, people whose stories have relevancy for meeting the challenges of contemporary education. We want to help visitors gain insights into every facet of leadership and understand how to improve their institution from the classroom to the teaching staff, and hear the latest trends in EdTech for 2019.

21st Century Skills and Knowledge

The next big challenge faced by teachers and leaders is helping their students be ready for an uncertain future. We’ll be bringing to life all the skills that learners today will need to thrive tomorrow. We’ll showcase the best examples of schools and colleges who are challenging their learners to become entrepreneurs and use their abilities to do exceptional things.

SEN and Neurodiversity

The growth in visible, and invisible, disabilities and learning needs is becoming more of a challenge across all levels of education. Especially as more systems move towards integrated education which creates a more diverse learning space. Across the show we’ll showcase the products and solutions through trails and our new SEN area. Within the seminar programme we’ll share best practice and inspiring stories to help improve knowledge and learning of teachers, leaders and support staff.

Exceptional Pedagogy

Teachers want to do their very best for their learners, to help them tap into the latest thinking in improving learning outcomes. There’s remarkable things happening in learning spaces all over the world such as personalised and mobile learning. We’ll be sharing the stories and insights behind that best practice in teaching and learning.

Classroom tech and resources

Moving beyond the big shiny hardware on show at Bett is something that teachers have been calling for, we’re going to highlight large and small examples of innovative tech and resources, especially in the run up to the show that can help empower learning, many of which are free or work for schools on a budget.

Institute tech and solutions

Operating a school that uses data and analytics to drive improvements in student outcomes and operations is fast becoming a pre-requisite. Additionally, they help with the latest approaches to assessment and workload management. We’ll highlight the examples, case-studies and best practice that can help Senior Leadership Teams and infrastructure management to make the right choices for their institution and make improvements to existing tech.

Futures

Bett has built a reputation for showing the boundary pushing innovation coming out of the EdTech scene. Across our seminar programme and Future’s area we’re pushing our exhibitors, and speakers to contextualise how the products, services and solutions they present are effective for institutions. More broadly at Bett we’re committed to driving the efficacy agenda forward and working with the leading minds to break it down into much more manageable bitesize chunks and help schools and colleges embed it into their operations.

Exhibitors include established brands offering workshops and valuable presentations such as Microsoft, Adobe and Promethean, through to newcomers such as Alef’s VR experience to Mars and First Scandinavia’s Mobile STEAM classroom and flight simulator, where pupils can learn maths, physics and other subjects with the flight simulator. There’s also Lu interactive playground which makes kids move and learn by gamifying physical education in an innovative and interactive playground.

WatchX is an Arduino compatible wearable platform for young makers. It helps and facilitate kids to program in any area or purpose.

Drone Kids meanwhile is a drone race course that revolutionises the way kids learn physics and quantum physics, maths, aerodynamic forces and other subjects along with learning how to work as team.

Education Show to be co-located with bett

The Education Show is moving date and location to coincide with its sister show Bett.

While Bett is all about edtech, the Education Show continues to focus on all other school equipment and supplies. With both events under one roof, school leaders, business managers and teachers will save time, by being able to purchase school essentials in one place.

For 2019 the Education Show is extending its offering to incorporate policy, pedagogy and school management for leaders who want to find the knowledge, resources and suppliers to make their schools more successful. Over two days it will tackle the key challenges facing these leaders, examining how they can manage change and improve efficiency through inspiring presentations and free CPD accreditation for personal development. The range of education suppliers to early years, primary, secondary, HE, FE and MATs, combine with hands-on demonstrations to complete the experience.

Education Show and Bett Managing Director, Rohan Marwaha commented: “We’re excited to present the new developments to the Education Show. We’ve had overwhelming support for the change which will see the Education Show provide fresh appeal to those charged with spending budgets as effectively as possible. It will be a national show not only for UK schools, but also for those from overseas, helping school decision-makers see all that they need to equip their schools, achieving the best outcomes for teachers, students and senior leadership teams.”

Caroline Wright, Director General, BESA, added; “Today’s cost pressures on schools mean that school leaders need to focus to make every purchase count. The exciting news that the UK’s two premier education exhibitions are to move alongside each other means that schools now have a one-stop-shop opportunity to experience the full school range of products, services and support all under one giant roof at Excel London.

“Bringing the Education Show and Bett together under one roof will allow a national platform for top quality CPD, training and holistic exhibition space dedicated to helping every aspect of school life, from curriculum learning to multi-academy administration. I am excited that BESA is the strategic partner for Bett and the Education Show.”